UK’s Best Outdoor Parties

Do you consider yourself a party animal? If you do, you might like to check out our list of the UK’s finest outdoor parties with thousands and thousands of visitors. From Brighton to London and the Isle of Wight, we’ve profiled the finest of finest outdoor parties across the country. If there’s any party you believe we should include, please let us know. Cheers!

1. Brighton Festival

What: Drenching the UK’s raffish capital with vivid colour, this is arguably the biggest arts festival in the UK, with a main programme of dance, music, theatre and talks featuring a good mix of the conventional as well as the Avant Garde. This is the fringe event which gives Brighton its unique flavour. Every weekend, artists from every corner of the city turn their studios and even homes into public galleries, showing their original work in highly convivial surroundings.

Where: Brighton, UK

When: May

How long: 3 weeks

2. Cartier International Polo

What: Polo might not be the ‘Sport of Kings’ but you certainly need a bit of money to play it and as a result it’s got its very own international circuit, of which the Cartier International Polo is the main highlight. It’s a match between the England team and an international side, taking place in the last week of July at the Guards Club in Windsor Park, West London.

Where: Windsor, London

When: at the end of July

How long: 1 day

3. Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling

What: This festival in Gloucestershire has become one of the UK’s best known. Held on the bank holiday at the end of May, it is without much doubt in the highest spirit of British amateurism. Absolutely anyone can enter and all they’ve got to do is chasing cheese down the hill – the first contestant to reach it wins. Obviously, it attracts all manner of booze-fuelled daredevils!

Where: Cooper’s Hill

When: May

How long: 1 day

4. Cowes Week

What: About 8,000 competitors and 1,000 boats descend on Cowes, the Isle of Wight. This 8-day event is the world’s biggest sailing regatta. Whether or not you’re a yachtie, it’s a great time in this little port, with loads of live music and outdoor parties – loads and loads of drinking!

Where: Cowes, Isle of Wight

When: August

How long: eight days

5. Glastonbury Festival

What: This is simply the best music festival in the world. It might not always attract the biggest bands but there’s often something special in the surrounding countryside of this south west part of England, from Druid burial mounds to crop circles. Apart from taking in some amazing sounds, it’s a perfect time to rediscover your tree-hugging, free-spirited side, losing your shoes in the thick mud, sleeping under canvas as well as sharing toilet facilities with thousands of other people

Where: Glastonbury

When: At the end of June

How long: Three days

6. Lewes Bonfire Night

What: Bonfire Night is possibly the most irresponsible, downright dangerous and unruly festival. Up and down England, human effigies are set on fire and fireworks set off at gatherings ranging from small parties to huge events. Here, in the otherwise modest, peaceful town of Lewes, things really are taken to extremes. For genuine madness, Lewes is simply king.

Where: Lewes

When: 5th November

How long: 1 day

7. Notting Hill Carnival

What: This is by far the best, biggest and most fantastically anarchic street festival in London. The sheer splash of multiple coloured costumes, the beautiful smell of jerk chicken, the lovely sound of Soca and the noise on almost one million people partying in the sunshine simply mean it’s carnival time again. With good weather and sound crews at their best, the Notting Hill Carnival can be one of the finest parties you will ever experience.

Where: London

When: The weekend of August Bank holiday

How long: two days.

8. Isle of Wight Festival

What: This is a massive music festival taking place on the Isle of Wight. The original venues were Ford Farm, Wootton and Afton Down respectively. The event in 1970 was the largest and most famous of the earlier festivals, at the time being one of the world’s largest human gatherings. The festival was revived in 2002 at the new Seaclose Park which is a recreation ground in Newport. It’s since been held on an annual basis, gradually extending itself beyond the park along the fields of Medina.

Where: Isle of Wight

When: 8-13 June

How long: 1 week

9. V Festival

What: The V Festival is a huge major music festival annually held in England and it’s the first music festival that is held at two sites simultaneously – currently Weston Park in Staffordshire and Hylands Park in Chelmsford. Originally, it was called ‘V96′ but since 2003 it’s been known as the V Festival.

Where: Weston Park and Hylands Park

When: 3rd weekend of August

How long: Three days

10. Bestival

What: This is another music festival held on the Isle of Wight. It takes place annually in summer since 2004 in a small park called ‘Robin Hill’. The event is planned and organised by Rob Bank and it’s an off-shoot of his own record label and club nights. The Bestival is often dubbed a ’boutique festival’ thanks to its less corporate feel. It’s also famous for innovative ideas and piloting odd, including a big inflatable church in which people can get married.

Where: Isle of Wight

When: 1st week of September

How long: Three days.

Posted by admin
on May 2 2010. Filed under Events.
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